Omniglot makes it easy to say "Merry Christmas" in a babel of tongues. Check the link below to learn more and never have to say "It's Greek to me" ever again. http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/christmas.htmThat said, may you have a meaningful Christmas and may it be filled with compassion for those who are most in need. * * * Photo by Rosario Charie Albar

There is never a bad year for California wines, so said our sommelier. Let's drink to that! We tasted four different bottles of wine, two reds and two whites from the vineyards of California and France.

Our wine selection:2006 Serge Lalou Sancerre (Loire Valley, France)2006 Stuhlmuller "Estate" Chardonnay, (Alexander Valley, CA)2001 Lorca "Gary's Vineyard" Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands, CA)2002 Michel Voarick Aloxe-Corton (Cote-de-Beaune, France)Seared AhiI'm not a fan of seared ahi so I asked the kitchen to prepare my ahi medium well. It came out moist and was served on a bed of bloomsdale spinach, French green lentils and golden raisins. The green lentils were tender and complemented the spinach. I like the way California restaurants serve their vegetables. It's always fresh and never overcooked so you can actually savor the veggies and enjoy every mouthful.Apple butter custard crêpeThe apple butter custard crêpe melted in my mouth. It was swee…

Fresh Spring Rolls What can be better than getting together for a special lunch or dinner during the holidays? Good food and warm company are the best of friends and bonding is easier at the dinner table. Salt and Pepper Calamari

We had our Christmas family reunion at Chez Saigon in Belmont this week. Everyone raved about the food and the attentive service. Not hard to imagine with these images! Crispy Spring RollsMy favorite dishes were the seafood pho and the spicy Japanese diced eggplant prepared with scallions, coconut milk, and onions. We requested a milder version and it was a mouth watering revelation. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of family and the bountiful feast. "God bless us everyone."Chez Saigon is on El Camino Real in Belmont, California.* * *Photos by Rosario Charie Albar

These quilts are the works of my friend, Rose Driscoll. Rose usually makes them for family and friends. They are a labor of love when you consider how much time it takes to make one. Observe the detail in the stitching and how many different pieces of fabrics are sewn together to create a work of art. The quilt above was a present from Rose to a child with leukemia. What I specially like about quilts is that the quilter can make them on varying themes like playful quilts such as the one above or perhaps one with an Oriental theme like Rose made for my sister (shown below). There's a world of history, culture, and design behind the art of quilting. More on this later. * * *Photos by Rose Driscoll